Celebrating Womanhood In Sports

‘’ She is Power,

She is Strength,

She is a Winner,

I am She ’’

Six years of age is when young girls are taught to put bangles in their hands, Henna on their palms and dance and sing in functions. It was at thus tender age when Sania Mirza took up a tennis racket in place of bangles, wrist bands instead of Henna, sports shoes above fancy heels and sports uniform in place of fairy frocks. She is a proud woman of India putting India on the maps of tennis. Any person’s nervousness is on its peak for any D – Day, but Indian Tennis Queen is never nervous on the field and shows no hesitation in vehemently flaunting her skills in the game.

Our queen has so many titles and awards to her name that one cannot easily forget. She has been reigning over the fields of Wimbledon, Afro-Asian Games, Australia Open, etc. Entrenching her name in a sport dominated by men was near to a rollercoaster of emotions. She continues to fight against many controversaries. May they be about her nationality after marriage, her dress code on field or about her caste in India, Sania Mirza is not only used to shooting aces on the tennis field but also hitting brilliant returns in real life. She is known to destroy her detractors with wit, zeal, and passion.

 

‘’ I belong to the country of swords and shields,

To the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,

I resemble the nations whose battlegrounds feared Samrat Ashoka,

I walk on the soils that are rich with the blood of Rani Jhansi,

Yes, I belong to the birth place of warrior tribes like Bhills,

The nation that only knew to win when swords were held ‘’

India has produced world class warriors who have known to excel in battles. India has produced unique swords and shields that are known to shatter the enemies. Amidst this rises CA Bhavani Devi, the pride of India. At the age of eleven instead of falling in love with Barbie Dolls and kitchen sets, Bhavani Devi fell for fencing. She took up swords and shields instead of kitchen utensils. She dreamt of doing the impossible and in the course saw to it that she makes her dream a national dream.

Yes, jumping on to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Bhavani Devi became a household name over night after opening India’s sheet in the Olympic Fencing sheets. She indeed was the pioneer to put Indian Fencing on the maps of Olympics. Hailing from a country having not knowledge about her sport Fencing to making those same people cheer for her at the Olympics is the power of India’s pride, Bhavani Devi.

In an country bound by stereotypes, we generally push sports as a career for the young and an dangerous stream for the elderly. But Bhagwani Devi has risen against all the stereotypes, she has indeed turned all the mouths. Presently 94 years of age, she holds many golds to her name authorizing the officials to play the Indian National Anthem. She proved to everyone that age is indeed just a number.

Surpassing all the obstacles that came her way, she lived her dreams on her own terms. She shut every mouth, not by arguments but by clinching the gold every time she wore the Indian Jersey. For Bhagwani Devi age is no bar. She indeed changed the minds of Indians. So you young youth, you can start your career at any age. Follow your passion. No matter how many years it takes.

Playing her second Olympics just at the age of 23, Aditi Ashok is indeed a champion to be remembered, making her debut at the Olympics at the tender age of 18 when girls are just beginning to see the outside world.

Golf is not much known in a country obsesses with Cricket. But our young star Aditi Ashok shook India to wake up at 4 a.m. in the morning to watch her play golf in the fields of Tokyo. Missing a medal by just a whisker in both the Olympics, Aditi Ashok is a rising star for India.

 

Besides these other female sports personalities like Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Rani Rampal, Karman Malleshwari, PT Usha, Sudha Singh and many others are shutting every that made an issue of them being interested in sports and put female sports on the screens of Indian Television. They didn’t limit their challenges instead, they challenged their limits put upon them for being women. 

We very often forget our para-athletes who just like other athletes strive hard to bring laurels to our country. The splendid performance by our Paralympic contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Games has put an end to the myth that disabled people cannot fulfil their dreams.

A car with a family of four skidded and turned, who knew a young girl whose dreams were shattered in that accident will live to be the dream of India. Their world shook when the family got to know about the extend of Avani’s injuries. Avani Lekhara suffered damage in her spinal cord, losing mobility and sensation from waist downwards.

Then a child mere 11 years of age pushed herself into dark corners of the house. From there Avani Lekhara went on to become India’s first woman to win a Paralympic individual Gold in the Tokyo Paralympics, 2020. Avani lived by her motto, ‘’Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those cards you hold well.’’

‘’ The polio virus hasn’t seen any region,

It doesn’t know any religion,

It grabs children around the chest,

And beat at their limbs with mangling wings. ‘’

Table Tennis is a swift and eye tiring game. Just find a bat and bounce a ball. To catch the ball is no easy. If you injure your leg you lose the game. Many of us find it tough to play table tennis even when all hale and healthy, standing on two legs. Can you imagine the dedication of a star table tennis player who is locked on the wheelchair.

With being diagnosed with Polio at the age of one, to being stuck on the wheelchair ever since, Bhavina Patel achieved that feat which many of us are even cared to dream of. Bhavina Patel put Indian Para Table Tennis on the maps of Paralympics amidst three Chinese. She awakened China to threaten them to know what all an Indian can do.

PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Ashwini Ponappa, Carolina Marin, Jwala Gutta, Ratchanok Intanon are household names in Badminton. But have you heard of Manasi Joshi? Ranked first in women’s single, having started her sporting career at the age of 22after amputating her right leg to a road accident, her journey is not less that an inspirational dose. 

From Avani Lekhara winning two Paralympics medals in an single edition to Bhavina Patel putting India on the maps of Para Table Tennis, From Palak Kohli representing India in the singles as well as doubles of Paralympics to Manasi Joshi having a Barbie Doll modled after her, from Deepa Malik opening Indian Paralympics medal haul to Ekta Bhyan becoming a rising Disk Thrower with an damaged spinal cord; Indian female Para-athletes have brought laurels to our country. They are not disabled, they are actually specially abled.

The status of women in India has improved a ton. Today women are leaving a mark in every field. They are walking at par with men. They are no longer fully dependent on men. Women have shown to the world that they surely can handle a household as well as an exceptional career very well. When they believe in themselves no hurdle is so big to break them!

 

From walking through the pain of menstrual cycle silently without making a hue of it, continuing her daily chores without complaints to hiding her grief of leaving her family on her marriage day. She leaves her family with a heavy heart only to enter a new family to serve them. Women have real superpower within them. They know the art of hiding their tears and faking their smile. Women are indeed the manifestation of God just like men, who have so much untapped potential power. If given the right chance and garnished with support and encouragement, they can bring in a revolution.